


Swipe Right

by Gabe (gabrielhugh)



Category: Call Me By Your Name (2017)
Genre: A fair bit of angst actually, Drunk Kissing, First Dates, M/M, Minor Character Death, Professor!Oliver, Some angst, canon-compliant character death, slow-burn, text fic, tinder au, witty flirting
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-08-06
Updated: 2018-09-01
Packaged: 2019-06-22 22:26:50
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 5
Words: 17,458
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15592128
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/gabrielhugh/pseuds/Gabe
Summary: Elio had not expected anything too spectacular to result from his Christmas holiday to New York, but he was in for a very pleasant surprise.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> For the texting:
> 
> Elio is normal  
>  _Marzia is italics_  
>  **Oliver is bold**

As always, Elio's first day in New York was mostly spent sleeping off the jet lag. Their flight had been unable to land due to ice on the runway which meant that their arrival to the house was delayed by over four hours. The weather was worst than it had been in the past and once Elio made it to his bed, he did not want to leave it before absolutely necessary. His parents let him rest and went out to get themselves dinner, getting inevitably lost in the bar as they took advantage of having a son now old enough to be left unattended. It was hours before Elio finally woke, unsure what day it was or whether the time was to be read AM or PM. The sun was rising just beyond his window as he stretched and checked his phone.

Missed call

**Mum** (2)

Missed call

**Dad**

Message

**Mum**  

> We're going to be out late. Text if you need anything. See you in the morning. Love you x

Message

**Marzia**  

> How's New York?!?
> 
> Eliooooooo
> 
> Did you get there OK?

Realising that Marzia's messages had been delivered hours ago and that he had failed to tell her that he had so much as landed, never mind successfully made it to the house, he quickly thumbed his response.   

> Sorry!!! We had a nightmare getting here and I literally got into the house, went to my room and just immediately passed out on the bed. 
> 
> I am here. I am alive. Not so sure about the parents though. They had a late night last night by the sounds of it. 
> 
> _Eww I'm sorry you had to experience that but I'm glad you're OK other than probably being traumatised_
> 
> What?
> 
> No! omg Marzia that's not what I meant
> 
> I had a bunch of missed calls and texts from mum saying they'd be out late when I woke up
> 
> God no nothing like that
> 
> Why would you even make me think about that
> 
> _I'm sorry!! I thought it was what you meant!_
> 
> Please let's just never mention that again
> 
> _Done. How's NY treating you?_
> 
> It's given me too much ice to land a plane but some pretty sweet dreams so I guess it's not doing too awfully so far
> 
> _You'll have to take pictures of everything and send it to me_
> 
> _I want pictures of any cute guys too just so you know_
> 
> I can't take pictures of random guys Marzia
> 
> _If they're cute enough they'll be used to it_
> 
> No!!
> 
> _Fine. Just describe them to me in vivid detail._
> 
> Tempted to download Tinder while I'm here
> 
> _DO IT_
> 
> _Then you can send me screenshots of cute guys_
> 
> I'm on it
> 
> What pictures am I supposed to use
> 
> _Anything of you in the blue stripy polo shirt. You know the one. It's cute._
> 
> _Something in a proper shirt too. Let them know you can do casual AND smart._
> 
> _Oooo and a cute jumper. Show that you're cuddly._
> 
> And my bio?
> 
> _Hmm you want them to know what you're into_
> 
> _You want them to be intrigued and think you're cute._
> 
> I'm not actually intending to date any of these people you know? I'm just exploring
> 
> _But you never know. Anything could happen._
> 
> I know haha nothing is happening
> 
> _Fine. Anyway put something cute and nerdy that's what you're best at_
> 
> "Is it better to speak or die?" 
> 
> The only important people are the ones who want to know what I'm talking about or already do.
> 
> _Little bit further nerdy that I had anticipated_
> 
> _But good. Do it._
> 
> It is done. Guess I'll start swiping now.
> 
> _Screenshots!!!_
> 
> Oh wow I did not expect everybody on this app to a. be hot and b. know it
> 
> _Yeahhh people can be a bit narcissistic_
> 
> A bit? I'm pretty sure some of these guys are only interested in dating themselves.
> 
> But some of them have reason tbh
> 
> _Show!!!_
> 
> Out for one thing and one thing only
> 
> _I wouldn't mind giving it to him_
> 
> MARZIA!!!
> 
> _He's hot Elio don't deny it_
> 
> I am denying it. He's a no. 
> 
> _WHAT_
> 
> We wouldn't match anyway
> 
> _You have little faith_
> 
> For good reason
> 
> _Don't lie_
> 
> He's cuuuuutteeee
> 
> _SWIPE RIGHT_
> 
> _NOW_
> 
> _HE WANTS TO MAKE YOU COFFEE, ELIO!_
> 
> Chill out omg
> 
> Shit now what
> 
> _Keep swiping. Wait for him to message first. We don't want to seem too eager._
> 
> ok ok
> 
> Sorry Thomas but there's more to life than fitness
> 
> _Hahaha yeah Thomas kinda looks like he's never seen a book in his life to be honest_
> 
> Marzia
> 
> Marzia Marzia Marzia
> 
> MARZIA
> 
> _WHAT_
> 
> What the fuck kind of age to Americans get to be professors at
> 
> _I don't know I'm Italian too how would I know what Americans do_
> 
> _That is one hot professor_
> 
> My thoughts exactly
> 
> _He's like five years older than you Elio_
> 
> _And it's a bit suspicious that his name is "O"_
> 
> But he's super cute and five years would be nothing when we're growing old together
> 
> _Growing old together wow hahaha_
> 
> MAARRZZIAAAAA
> 
> _What?!?_
> 
> HE LIKED ME
> 
> _Damn Elio getting in there with a hot professor!!_
> 
> What do I dooooo
> 
> _Keep swiping_
> 
> But I want to message him
> 
> _Let him message you!_
> 
> Ugh. Parents are up now anyway. No more swiping for today.
> 
> _Have a good day. Tell me who messages you!!!!!_
> 
> You too. I will do.

Elio opened his bedroom door to see his parents stood outside it, arm in arm and smiling widely. He returned the smile, leaning in to both of them for a hug and asking how their night was. They spoke pleasantly as they walked through the house, heading out to find somewhere they could get some lunch to double up as breakfast. His home life had given Elio somewhat high expectations for food, but something about walking through the streets of New York made him want to forget all about the extravagance of how food can be and instead have his "lunch" be a hot dog from an untrustworthy looking van parked on the corner of a street. He decided he would leave that adventure for an afternoon when he was without he parents and certain of when he would be heading home. 

To Elio's surprise, his parents suggested that they visit a pizzeria. He was sure America's version of Italian food would be nothing in comparison to the real thing, but was hungry enough to go along with anything that would get him food. The time of day meant that they found a table for three easily and they browsed the menu for only a few minutes before deciding on their orders. Whilst his parents asked the waiter to bring them some water and told him what they wanted to eat, Elio took the opportunity to check his phone for the first time since he had left his bedroom. He had a few notifications that he did not care about - junk e-mails, messages to group chats. He was surprised to see multiple notifications from Tinder. He had matched with two more people, though he recognised neither of their names, and he had received a message from Oliver. His heart started racing but he refused to open it until he was sure he would be able to reply and spark a conversation without being told to put his phone down. Instead, he typed out a quick message to Marzia. 

> Out for lunch but got a few new matches!
> 
> Oh, and a message from Oliver.

"Elio, talk to the people in front of you please." Quickly wiping the smile from his face before his parents could ask what had caused it, he shoved his phone back into his pocket and poured himself a glass of water, unsure he would be able to stop thinking about what could lie within his messages. He spent the rest of their lunch making polite conversation about how excited he was to be spending Christmas in New York and how he expected himself to grow to love the weather. They all expressed their low expectations of the pizza and joked about the possibility that the waiter recognised their accents and mentioned to the chef that they were Italian. Elio quipped that this may explain the long wait time they were experiencing. Before he knew it, Elio had almost completely forgotten about the notifications on his phone which were begging for his attention. When their dinner eventually arrived it was a pleasant surprise and a welcome reminder of Italy.

Soon after they finished their meal, Elio's parents suggested they go sight seeing. Having failed to put on enough layers and becoming more and more aware that there was a message he needed to reply to with the minute, Elio suggested that he head back to the house. For a moment his parents were concerned that something was wrong, but Elio said that he had bought a book with him that he had been hoping to read and that he had eaten so much he felt he could do with a lie down. They understood and went off in the opposite direction with a promise that they would make it home earlier than they had done the previous night. 

Elio did not acknowledge any of his journey back to the house. He was almost on autopilot, desperate to be in his room and on his phone. There was little reason he could not check his phone before getting home, but somehow he felt he wanted to be sat comfortably and ready for replying. Something about Oliver excited him. Maybe it was the thought of an older man being interested in him, though he did not think that five years was a particularly big age gap. Maybe it was the fact that he was a professor. He knew his father would approve, but he had to remind himself that the message probably said nothing more exciting than "Hey". At the house, the door slammed shut behind him with a wind that Elio had been too lost in his thoughts to notice. He almost fell over pulling his shoes off, throwing them on the floor and causing the snow that covered them to go everywhere. He promised himself that he would come back down before his parents returned to clean it up as he ran up the stairs and threw himself onto the bed.

He loaded up Tinder, having now got another three matches and a total of four unread messages. Two of them simply said "Hi" and Elio immediately knew he would not be speaking to those people. A third said "You are super cute" and Elio blushed for a minute before deciding that the person behind that message probably only wanted one thing from him and Elio was not interested in that. Although he had to admit, as he made his decision not to reply, he was not entirely sure what he was interested in. But then he read it. 

> **Is it about the knight and the princess?**
> 
> It is
> 
> **Does he or doesn't he?**
> 
> Have you not read it?
> 
> **I want to know what you think**
> 
> I don't really get to have an opinion on a plot point
> 
> "Better to speak" she says.
> 
> **And does he?**
> 
> No, he doesn't.
> 
> **Figures**
> 
> Did you really know what I was referring to?
> 
> **Of course**
> 
> So why ask me what happens?
> 
> **I just wanted to talk to you.**

* * *

 

 

> _What does the message from Oliver say?!?_
> 
> HE GOT THE QUOTE
> 
> I think
> 
> He asked if it's about the knight and the princess which obviously it is 
> 
> But then he asked me what happens after that quote so i don't quite know if he's read it or not
> 
> _BUT HE GOT IT!!!_
> 
> He did!
> 
> And now i'm freaking out!!!
> 
> _Why are you freaking out?!?_
> 
> Because he said "i just really wanted to talk to you"
> 
> HE WANTED TO TALK TO ME
> 
> _Elio stop panicking_
> 
> _Just talk to him_
> 
> Feeling like i have to use proper grammar talking to him though
> 
> _That's because he's a fucking professor!_

* * *

  

 

> I'm glad you wanted to talk to me. Your profile is really nice but I'm not very interesting so don't have much to say
> 
> **I doubt that you're not very interesting. Everybody is interesting if you ask the right questions.**
> 
> And you know the right questions?
> 
> **I know everything**
> 
> Someone's cocky
> 
> **Someone's insecure**
> 
> Are you really going to point out all my flaws this soon into the conversation?
> 
> **I wouldn't call it a flaw.**
> 
> **It's endearing.**
> 
> Hmmm
> 
> So, Mr I-know-everything, what are the right questions?
> 
> **What does the name Elio mean?**
> 
> Derives from Helios. God of the sun in Greek Mythology.
> 
> **God of the Sun? That's a big name to live up to**
> 
> **I have a feeling you're more than capable, though**
> 
> I think I have figured out the right question to ask you
> 
> **You have?**
> 
> What does your name mean?
> 
> Don't tell me what your name is
> 
> Let me guess from the meaning
> 
> **Once you know the meaning it is not too difficult to work out**
> 
> Well give me an abstract interpretation of the meaning, then, Mr. I-Know-Everything.
> 
> **Firstly it's Professor I-Know-Everything**
> 
> **Secondly, peace offering**
> 
> Peace offering...
> 
> O...
> 
> OH
> 
> Like... an OLIVE(R) branch maybe?
> 
> **You're good at this**
> 
> Or maybe you're just not good at giving clues
> 
> **Maybe**
> 
> **So Elio is not an American name. Are you from here?**
> 
> Oliver is not an American name either
> 
> **Someone knows their etymology**
> 
> I'm Italian. Holidaying here for Christmas.
> 
> **And I am American through and through**
> 
> We better not fall madly in love, then
> 
> That would be pretty long distance
> 
> **I will do my best to hide my charm from you**
> 
> And I will do the same
> 
> **For now, Elio, I have some work to do**
> 
> **Speak soon?**
> 
> Enjoy your work, Professor I-Know-Everything.


	2. Chapter 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> In which Elio likes to drop some hints and Oliver accidentally meets the parents

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm changing the format of the texts because I wrote the other one at like 1am and for some reason that format made sense then but I hate it now. Anyway, you'll get it! Thanks for the comments on the first chapter! I'm really glad you all enjoyed it and I tried to make this one a bit longer for you.

**Elio:** His name is Oliver and i think i'm in love

 **Marzia:** Ooo Oliver

 **Marzia:** Professor Oliver

 **Elio:** Yep. 

 **Elio:** He called me ENDEARING

 **Elio:** Well he called my insecurity endearing but i think it's the same

 **Marzia:** Get you a man who compliments your insecurity

 **Marzia:** Elio and Oliver sound like a cute couple

 **Marzia:** When's the wedding?

 **Elio:** Not sure he had to go do his work before i got the chance to ask

 **Marzia:** When did you last talk?

 **Elio:**  Last night

 **Marzia:**  Message him again!!!

 **Elio:** I think I accidentally ignored him

 **Marzia:** you WHAT

 **Elio:** Well, he said "speak soon?" and I just said "enjoy your work"

 **Marzia:** OMG Elio you need to message him

 **Elio:** And say what?

 **Elio:** "sorry I do want to speak soon but i am really bad at texting and i was kinda freaking out to be talking to someone like you and it made me forget how to reply and have a normal conversation"

 **Marzia:** I was thinking you could start with "Hi again"

 **Marzia:** But if he thinks your insecurity is endearing he might think your endless rambling is too

 **Elio:** Maybe

 **Elio:** Wish me luck

* * *

 **Elio:** Hi!

 **O:** Hello again

 **Elio:** I just want to offer a quick apology

 **Elio:** I didn't mean to not reply last night when you asked if we would speak soon

 **O:** Don't worry about it, Elio. It's fine.

 **Elio:** So how was work

 **Elio:** Which you don't have to tell me

 **Elio:** You probably don't want to talk to strangers on the internet about your job

 **Elio:** Am I coming off really weird right now?

 **Elio:** I really don't mean to

 **O:** Elio, calm down

 **O:** I want to talk to you about anything

 **O:** I'm afraid my work is not very interesting though. I was just marking some papers.

 **Elio:** Marking?

 **Elio:** Shit yes marking. Professor right.

 **O:** Professor Right? I thought I was Professor I-Know-Everything?

 **Elio:** Well all in all is there much difference between the two

 **O:** I suppose as long as we are implying I'm a genius I don't mind what words are used to do it

 **Elio:** Still cocky

 **O:** Still insecure

 **Elio:** Can't argue with you there

 **O:** You should

 **Elio:** I should argue with you? Is that your method of hiding your charm?

 **O:** You should argue with me because you shouldn't be so insecure

 **Elio:** I appreciate it but really you barely know me haha

 **O:** Well no but I have eyes

 **Elio:** Glad to know I'm not talking to some kind of eye-less monster

 **Elio:** Or a robot

 **O:** You really do not know how to take a compliment, do you?

 **Elio:** It's another one of my flaws

 **O:** We will have to work on that

 **Elio:** Are you a professor or a therapist?

 **O:** I'd make an awful therapist

 **Elio:** Me too

 **O:** So, what are your plans for Christmas in New York?

 **Elio:** Not a lot. We're going to the Radio City Christmas Spectacular this year which is exciting

 **Elio:** I wanted to go ice skating but my parents aren't really up for it and I don't have anyone else to go with

 **O:** Can you ice skate?

 **Elio:** I'm amazing at it.

 **O:** Who's cocky now

 **Elio:** I have good reason when it comes to ice skating 

 **O:** Do you really?

 **Elio:** I do

 **Elio:** Maybe I could prove it to you sometime

 **Elio:** Or not

 **Elio:** Forget I said that

 **Elio:** Sorry we don't have to do anything

* * *

 **Elio:** I fucked up

 **Marzia:** What do you mean?

 **Elio:** I mean i accidentally asked him on a date and he isn't replying

 **Marzia:** How do you accidentally ask someone on a date

 **Elio:** I just really wanted him to know how good i am at ice skating

 **Marzia:** When have you ever ice skated?

 **Elio:** Never. I just get a feeling it's my calling y'know

 **Marzia:** And so... you asked him to go ice skating with you

 **Elio:** Apparently

 **Marzia:** And he hasn't replied?

 **Elio:** Nope

 **Marzia:** How long has it been?

 **Elio:** Like 20 minutes

 **Marzia:** He probably just got caught up in work or something give him time

 **Elio:**  Conveniently at the exact moment i ask him to go fucking ice skating with me?

 **Marzia:** ...Yes

 **Elio:** I think we can assume the wedding's off

 **Marzia:** Elio he doesn't hate you just because he isn't replying

 **Elio:** HE REPLIED

 **Marzia:** WHAT DOES IT SAY

 **Elio:** I DON'T KNOW

 **Marzia:** OPEN IT

 **Elio:** OK

* * *

 **O:** I'm so sorry a student came in and needed help with an assignment

 **O:** It was a pretty difficult assignment I set them to be honest I just wanted to see who would even try

 **O:** Anyway this is not the time for me to start rambling about work

 **O:** I would be more than happy for you to prove your ice skating skills to me

 **Elio:** You would?

 **O:** Yes. I didn't want to freak you out by asking to meet up straight away but honestly I can't stand all this texting

 **O:** And you're definitely a person I want to see face to face

 **Elio:** I am?

 **O:** Well, yes, if you haven't changed your mind?

 **Elio:** No no no I haven't changed my mind

 **Elio:** I just have a confession to make

 **O:** Oh? You're the robot, aren't you?

 **Elio:** That's it!!

 **Elio:** No haha my actual confession is that I.. well..

 **Elio:** I've never really done this before

 **Elio:** So I don't know what to do

 **O:** That's fine! I was really nervous the first time I arranged to meet up with someone from Tinder too

 **O:** If it would help I could give you my phone number and before we meet up we could talk over the phone?

 **Elio:** That would be nice if you don't mind

 **Elio:** Sorry I'm being weird

 **O:** You're not being weird, it's totally normal

 **O:** Can I ask you a question?

 **Elio:** Sure

 **O:** Is your age true? Are you actually 19?

 **Elio:** Yes?? Do people often lie about their age?

 **O:** On here they do yeah

 **Elio:** Are you lying about your age?

 **O:** No. I'm 24.

 **Elio:** Oh, good.

 **O:** I must say that from your pictures you look young for a 19-year-old

 **Elio:** And you look old for a 24-year-old

 **O:** I did nothing to deserve that!

 **Elio:** You look good regardless

 **O:** Flattery now?

 **O:** I like it

 **Elio:** I thought you might. Cocky.

 **O:** What kind of person doesn't like flattery?

 **Elio:**  Someone insecure I guess

 **O:** You don't like flattery?

 **Elio:** It always somehow seems fake

 **O:** Hmm 

 **O:** When should we go ice skating then?

 **Elio:** We're going to Radio City Christmas Spectacular on 15th but I'm free up until then

 **O:** Two whole weeks of no plans?

 **O:** We'll have to try and sort something out 

 **O:** What about this Saturday?

 **Elio:** This Saturday is good

 **O:** The Winter Village in Bryant Park is amazing if you've never been

 **O:** We could go there?

 **Elio:** Sure thing! You're the All-Knowing American so I'll trust your judgement

 **Elio:** Also Google images make it look beautiful

 **O:** You didn't really trust my judgement then, did you?

 **Elio:** Well I wanted to have a visual idea of where a stranger from the internet is potentially going to murder me

 **O:** I would never murder you in Bryant Park. Far too many people.

 **Elio:** Oh. That's... Reassuring.

 **O:** ;)

 **Elio:** On that note, would I be able to get your number?

 **Elio:** I would like to call you before we meet up, if that's OK?

 **Elio:** Not that I don't trust you but you didn't deny that you're going to murder me

 **O:** I understand 

 **O:** Here you go: (xxx) xxx-xxxx

 **Elio:** Thank you. I'll text you now so you have my number

 

* * *

 **(xxx) xxx-xxxx:** Hi, it's Elio!

 **Oliver:** Hi Elio

 **Elio:** So erm... this is my number

 **Oliver:** I guessed that much 

 **Oliver:** When do you want to call me?

 **Elio:** Can we leave it for a little bit?

 **Elio:** Maybe Friday?

 **Oliver:** Of course. I have work all week anyway and I think my students are just about ready to confiscate my phone from me

 **Elio:** Is it not the winter holidays yet?

 **Oliver:** The end of this week. Saturday will be a nice reward for me getting through this much of the year.

 **Elio:** So you're just using me as a reward?

 **Oliver:** Mostly I was thinking the ice skating would be the reward but you're definitely a good bonus

 **Elio:** I better try not to fuck anything up and make you change your mind about that one, then

 **Elio:** Shit I didn't mean to swear

 **Oliver:** Hahah it's fine! I know I am a professor but to you I'm just a person

 **Elio:** Just a very handsome person

 **Elio:** I really should think before I press send

 **Oliver:** I like it when you don't think

 **Elio:** You do?

 **Oliver:** Yes, it helps that huge ego of mine

 **Elio:** Wow

 **Oliver:** And it's adorable.

 **Elio:** I'm glad you think so 

* * *

"Elio! We are going grocery shopping!" The sound of his mother shouting up the stairs made him startle, locking his phone and quickly shoving it into the pocket of his jeans. He could feel that his cheeks were red from blushing and quickly shouted back to ask them to wait whilst he washed his face. Looking at himself in the mirror, he asked himself what was wrong with him. He had never felt anything more than physical attraction towards anybody before, not really. He had briefly questioned whether what he felt for Marzia was more than friendship, but their very short attempt at a relationship told him that this was not the case. Nobody made his heart race just from seeing their name on a screen and nobody made him want to lie about being able to ice skate just because he wanted to impress them. Nobody other than Oliver.

"You ready to go?" His father was stood by the door waiting for him, wearing enough layers to make it difficult to move. Elio quickly grabbed a jumper and threw it over his head, grinning at them to let them know that he was ready. They did not attempt to drive to the store, knowing that the traffic and the condition of the roads would make it hours before they actually achieved anything, but the walk was an unsteady one. Elio did not own a pair of shoes with particularly good grip or that were particularly meant to deal with the snow and ice, so he grabbed every post he walked passed as hard as he could in an attempt to keep his balance. His parents, who had been sensible enough to wear shoes much more suited to the situation, were able to walk ahead of him. As he rushed in an attempt to catch up, he felt his feet go from underneath his body. Before he had time to process what was happening he was laying on the floor, freezing cold and with a shooting pain through his wrist.

He looked around and saw lots of people watching him, some of them seeming concerned but others clearly struggling to hide a laugh. His parents were far enough in front to have failed to notice what happened but Elio felt someone's hands under his arms, helping him to his feet. His knees ached with the weight of his body, but that pain was nothing compared to the shooting in his left wrist. He cradled it in his other hand, looking up at the person who helped him. As soon as he looked up he felt his heart sink. The man was a lot taller than him but the second he saw his face there was a familiarity that he had never expected this moment to hold. "Oh shit," he said before he could stop himself causing his cheeks to flush red and him to break eye contact immediately. Oliver was even more attractive than his pictures had suggested he would be, and was skinnier than he looked but still as well-built as Elio had anticipated. His arms were still on his waist, holding him steady.

"You're... Eelio?" Oliver asked uncertainly, trying to catch his eyes. 

"I... erm... hold on." Elio looked in the opposite direction, searching the huge crowd of people for his parents. He finally saw his mother's hair and almost instinctively began to run towards her but the pain in his knees would not let him. Instead, he just shouted them. Almost immediately they saw he had stopped walking and rushed back to catch up with him, asking what was wrong and who the man stood with him was. Elio did not know how to speak, embarrassment from his first meeting with Oliver and the pain in his wrist taking over him.

"Sorry, I'm Oliver, I saw Eelio fall and I think he's hurt his wrist," Oliver offered his hand to Elio's father, who shook it quickly before turning his attention to his son. Elio's mother examined his wrist and concluded that they ought to take him to the hospital. Elio almost insisted it was nothing and that he wanted to be left alone with Oliver again, but the pain and his difficulty to move his wrist at all told him otherwise. Leaving Oliver on the sidewalk, Elio was all but dragged away to his parents. 

* * *

 

 **Oliver:** Sorry that was a little bit of an awkward meeting

 **Elio:** Don't apologise it's totally my fault

 **Oliver:** How's your wrist?

 **Elio:** Broken and in a cast

 **Oliver:** Shit. Does it still hurt?

 **Elio:** Not really. At this point I've taken so many painkillers I'm not even sure what planet I'm on.

 **Oliver:** I hate to bring it up

 **Oliver:** But I'm starting to doubt you're as good an ice skater as you like to think you are

 **Oliver:** Or at least if you are that good you probably should have used some of those tricks earlier on

 **Elio:** You really cannot be serious

 **Elio:** You're using my injury to call me a liar?

 **Oliver:** Not a liar necessarily. I just imagine someone who is an ice skating prodigy would have better balance is all

 **Elio:** Yeah you're right I've never ice skated in my life

 **Oliver:** Amazing. Why would you tell me you were so good at it, then? Haha

 **Elio:** Guess I wanted you to think I had something going for me other than being insecure

 **Oliver:** You're so beautiful, you know?

 **Elio:** Back at it again with the flattery

 **Oliver:** No. Really. When I saw you today I knew it was you immediately because I could never miss those curls. I'd spent long enough on your profile wondering why you would have swiped right on me to know pretty much every detail of your face.

 **Oliver:** God that sounds creepy

 **Oliver:** I haven't been stalking you. But I just saw some fucking baby deer looking guy struggling to stay upright in the middle of the street and something told me it was you. 

 **Elio:** I get it. The second I looked at you I could tell it was you.

 **Elio:** Although my first thought was really "fuck this guy is tall" almost immediately followed by "fuck this guy is Oliver"

 **Oliver:** Ah yeah, I think I should have probably mentioned that I am 6'5

 **Elio:** Tall is good

 **Oliver:** You're really not that short yourself

 **Elio:** Not next to ordinary people, no

 **Oliver:** So you think I'm extraordinary?

 **Elio:** Or abnormal.

 **Oliver:** Now you've wounded my ego.

 **Elio:** Just trying to hide my charm.

 **Oliver:** You're doing a great job

 **Oliver:** I can't believe I've met your parents already

 **Elio:** Things are moving so fast. We'll be getting married before the end of the year.

 **Elio:** On a serious note, I don't think ice skating this weekend is going to be a good idea.

 **Oliver:** Oh... was meeting me really that bad?

 **Elio:** Yeah I just hated you immediately

 **Elio:** No, you idiot! I have a broken wrist!

 **Oliver:** Oh of course sorry 

 **Elio:** Now who's insecure

 **Oliver:** Kinda still cocky

 **Oliver:** I assumed everything was about me

 **Elio:**  Well, no. It's not about you. Not this time.

 **Elio:** If you want to do something less dangerous this Saturday though I'm still free.

 **Oliver:** Let me have a think and get back to you

* * *

 **Elio:**  I just fucking

 **Elio:** Met Oliver

 **Elio:** And broke my wrist

 **Marzia:** I leave you alone for a few hours

 **Marzia:** What's he like?!

 **Elio:** Well he picked me up off the floor and he is so tall he's literally 6'5

 **Elio:** I had to look up at him we were stood so close

 **Elio:** He smelt amazing

 **Marzia:** Why were you on the floor? What the fuck happened today?!

 **Elio:** I fell over on some ice and broke my wrist

 **Elio:** And it just so happened that Oliver was in exactly the same place and fucking recognised me

 **Marzia:** Oh my god

 **Elio:** and he helped me up and i don't know what was going on but my parents had walked off and i had to get that back so i shouted them and they were there then so Oliver just kind of introduced himself to my dad and then they rushed me off to a hospital

 **Marzia:** So did you guys actually get to talk

 **Elio:** No, and now I've had to cancel saturday because I can't exactly ice skate with a broken wrist

 **Marzia:** You can do other stuff regardless of a broken wrist

 **Elio:** He's getting back to me with some ideas

 **Marzia:** Ahhh ok this is going to be great

 **Marzia:** I can't believe your first face-to-face meeting with your future husband involved you literally falling head over heels

 **Elio:** What a mess

* * *

 **Oliver:** Hey. I thought we could still go to Bryant Park if you wanted and just skip the ice skating? 

 **Elio:** Will it be fun and danger-free?

 **Oliver:** 100%

 **Elio:** Then that sounds like a good plan. 


	3. Chapter 3

Elio spent every day following their initial meeting reminding himself that he was not allowed to start having any real feelings for Oliver. They would soon be over 5,000 miles away from each other and he knew that he would not get over it if he let it happen. There was also the fact that Elio now felt Oliver was miles out of his league - even more so since he had seen him in person. His parents asked him no more questions about who Oliver is, apparently assuming that he was just a kind passer-by who stopped to help. Elio was, however, somehow reassured that they had also not said anything negative about him. He knew they were not judgemental people, but had they made a passing comment complaining about Oliver, Elio thought it would have broken his heart. By the time Friday came, Elio could not wait to make the phone call and hear Oliver's voice again.

 **Elio:** Good morning

 **Oliver:** Hello, Elio.

 **Elio:** Sleep well?

 **Oliver:** I did. You?

 **Elio:** Yeah. Struggled to sleep at first though

 **Oliver:** Something on your mind?

 **Elio:** It's dumb

 **Oliver:** Let me judge that

 **Elio:**  I was just really excited about tomorrow

 **Elio:** And today

 **Oliver:** Me too

 **Elio:** Really?

 **Oliver:** Of course. I've been excited ever since I saw you.

 **Elio:** Me too

 **Oliver:** What time should we meet up?

 **Elio:** Are we going to make it a full day thing or just meet up in the evening?

 **Elio:** I don't mind either way. Whatever you want.

 **Oliver:** A full day with you sounds nice if you don't have anything better to do

 **Elio:** No not at all

 **Elio:** I meant yeah that sounds good

 **Elio:** Yes a full day

 **Oliver:** Haha OK well how about I meet you there at about 1? Nothing opens earlier than that for us to do anything

 **Oliver:** Unless you want to meet up earlier and just hang out before we go

 **Elio:** Maybe you could meet me a bit sooner and we could go together? If I tried to meet you there I will undeniably get lost

 **Oliver:** That sounds good. Do you know where the Starbucks is on the road you fell?

 **Elio:** I do.

 **Elio:** By the way how were you even there at that precise moment?

 **Oliver:** I promise you it was a coincidence

 **Elio:** Pretty lucky coincidence

 **Oliver:** Coincidence and the fact that I live pretty nearby and really just wanted to get some coffee

 **Oliver:** You got in the way of those coffee plans

 **Elio:** Ever so sorry my broken bone stopped you getting your caffeine fix

 **Oliver:** Apology accepted

 **Elio:** Anyway! Starbucks. Meet there at 11?

 **Oliver:** It's a date

* * *

 **Elio:** He said it's a date.

 **Marzia:** Oh hey Elio. Italy's great.

 **Elio:** Yes yes i hope you're all well and all that

 **Elio:** we are meeting up on friday at 11 at a coffee shop and he said "it's a date"

 **Marzia:** That's so good!!! 

 **Elio:** What do i wear?!

 **Marzia:**  I mean considering it's freezing cold outside just wear a big fluffy jumper and some jeans

 **Elio:** not sure jeans will even be warm enough in this weather to be honest

 **Marzia:**  Thermals are your friends

 **Elio:** I can't wear thermals on a date!!

 **Marzia:** Sure you can. Unless you intend to get laid?

 **Elio:** noooo

 **Marzia:** Then what's the problem

 **Elio:** I'm not wearing thermals, Marzia

* * *

 **Elio:** Technically, given that we have met, the phone call we had planned for today does not necessarily need to happen

 **Oliver:** Not necessarily, no

 **Elio:** Would you be against it happening again, anyway?

 **Oliver:** Not in the slightest

 **Elio:** OK. Are you busy now?

 **Oliver:** I am just about to get through my door. Give me ten minutes and I'll call you?

 **Elio:** Sounds good.

Elio busied himself doing nothing in particular, mostly counting to sixty over and over again. He checked his social media accounts and considered trying to find Oliver on them, but recognised that this could be an odd thing to do before they really talk about it. He had multiple notifications from Tinder but he had not opened the app since he text Oliver - he had no need for it now. Part of him felt jealous that Oliver had probably not stopped looking at his Tinder and probably had dates lined up with multiple matches, but he had to remind himself that there was nothing between the two of them and no reason for him to be jealous. When the phone finally rang twelve minutes later, Elio barely paused before answering it.

"Ciao! Er.. shit... sorry hi." Elio put his head in his hand, turning bright red and feeling thankful that Oliver could not see him. A chuckle that seemed to make Elio's entire body feel lighter came from the other end of the phone.

"Bonjour, Eelio." Elio immediately realised that he had not had time to properly appreciate Oliver's voice during their brief encounter. He closed his eyes and let the words fall over him, the sound calming him in an instant.

"What happened to being American through and through?" He quipped, trying to keep up the level of playfulness which he had managed to portray over their messages.

"Non significa che non conosco le mie lingue." Somehow Oliver said it so casually that Elio forgot how to function. His heart began to race so quickly he thought that there must be something wrong with him and his hand tightened around the phone at his ear. The silence that came from Elio's end caused Oliver to let out another small laugh and Elio wondered if the older man was anywhere near as much of a mess as he was right now.

"Conosci l'italiano?"

"solo un po." Elio thought this was a lie judging by the ease with which he spoke it, but reverted back to English anyway. 

"I guess I just keep learning things about you." There was an admiration in Elio's voice that he had not intended to be freed so easily.

"Well how many languages can you speak?"

"I pick languages up pretty easily but I've only ever properly learnt three. French, Italian and English." 

“You’d be a good person to go travelling with then.” Oliver said it in a nonchalant manner but it immediately caused images of holidays together to fly through Elio’s mind. He thought about a road trip, remembering Oliver’s picture in the car. He wondered if Oliver would be scared of flying, so insist on driving. Then he wondered if Oliver would sing along to songs as he drove, or drum out beats on the steering wheel. Elio could not stop smiling to himself.

“I love travelling, definitely.” Elio could have kicked himself. This was somehow not as smooth and casual as everything he tried to be. The words came out in a higher pitch than he usually spoke in and somewhat more rushed.

“I do too when work isn’t kicking my ass.” Oliver sighed. There was the sound of papers rustling behind his voice and Elio wondered if he was being a distraction.

"Since the winter holidays start so soon I'd have expected all that work to let up."

"That would be nice but it just means extra deadlines to meet before the end of the week." 

"OK well I'll let you get on with it then." Elio tried to put a cheeriness in his voice where he felt sadness and disappointment. Somehow he never wanted to stop hearing Oliver's voice.

"I’d rather you didn’t. If you have to go though I understand.” Oliver had clearly put the phone on loudspeaker and sounded further away while he spoke. Elio was unsure what to do.

“You want me to stay on the phone whilst you do your work?” There was confusion in his voice.

“I wouldn’t say no to some company. But, like I said, if you don’t want to then you don’t have to.” Oliver was feigning an I-don’t-care attitude and Elio was somewhat proud of himself to be able to tell. His insistence that it was Elio’s decision was all through an insecurity that he would never admit to showing. 

“I can stay here,” Elio said, as he put his own phone on loudspeaker and set it down next to him. His arm was getting tired and he thought he might as well busy himself whilst Oliver worked. 

“Thank you. I know I don’t do the most interesting work on the planet.”

“Your work is more interesting than mine,” Elio shrugged, despite knowing that Oliver could not see him.

“You wouldn’t say that if you saw the endless reams of papers that pile up on my desk every week.”

“You could show me them. I mean, not like, show me show me. You know, not like invite-me-back-to-your-place-show-me,” the more Elio spoke the more he thought he was making his situation worse now, and Oliver had made no noise to indicate what he was thinking. “Like, we-both-have-iPhones show me, you know? Er, FaceTime. We could video chat. If you wanted. Or not. Just ignore me.” Elio buried his head in his arms again to hide the blush from someone who could not see him. Something about Oliver made him lose complete control of his brain.

“Answer the phone.” The voice surprised him and he lifted his head from his arms so quickly that he almost hit the wall behind him. There was a new screen on his phone showing an incoming FaceTime call from Oliver. He ran a hand over his face to try and rid the blush from his skin before answering.

Oliver had propped his phone up on his desk against some books, the charger meaning that he was forced to lay his phone landscape. Elio did the same on his bed-side table once he had answered the phone, and he repositioned himself on his bed so that he was in the centre of the camera. Oliver had his back to the camera and was on the other side of the room, giving Elio a chance to admire the design. All of the wood was the same, dark colour – from the desk to the chair to the bookshelves that lined the wall endlessly. The room looked as though it could be mistaken for a library all on its own, not just a room in a house. From behind, Elio could see how broad Oliver’s shoulders were and he wondered how often the man must work out. Before he had a chance to spend too much time looking at him, Oliver turned around and headed closer to his phone.

“Hey there Mr Insecure,” Oliver spoke casually, a grin on his face as he did so. It immediately caused Elio to bring his knees to his chest, clutching them as he buried his head in his arms again. “Don’t worry about it, it’s cute,” Oliver reassured him, now glancing away from the screen to fumble with the papers on his desk. 

“Hey, Oliver,” Elio spoke once he had calmed down, watching the other man on the screen with great interest. Oliver sat down at his desk now, the phone positioned to show his profile as his bit his pen with thought. His jaw clenched and his fingers drummed against his cheek. There was silence for some time as Oliver’s eyes seemed to go over and over one piece of paper again and again. Elio got lost in watching him. His eyelashes were long and his blinks were heavy, as though concealing a tiredness he himself had not acknowledged. Although Elio was sure his hair had been perfectly slicked back earlier in the morning, Oliver now ran his fingers through it, making it fall it multiple different directions. He sighed heavily, not caring. The top button of his shirt had been undone but there had been minimal effort to remove his tie, which still sat snug against the fabric. Elio wished he could see more of him. 

“Does that make any sense to you?” Suddenly, Elio was pulled out of his trance. Oliver was still staring at the piece of paper in front of him before he glanced up at Elio when there was no response.

“Sorry, what did you say?” Elio tilted his head towards the camera now in an attempt to show that he was listening. Oliver paid little attention and looked back at the paper clutched in his hands. He began to read sentences from the essay and Elio could not help the thought that ran through his mind about wanting to listen to Oliver’s voice for the rest of his life. He was smiling at the idea of it, completely oblivious to what was happening around him until he registered that he could not hear the voice any more.

Oliver was grinning over at Elio, who physically had to shake his head to bring himself back down from his thoughts. Elio began to stutter, assuming that Oliver was finally expecting an answer. “It… it doesn’t really make sense, no,” Elio guessed.

“I get the impression you’re more interested in hearing my voice than listening to it,” Oliver said, putting down the paper now and turning his full attention to Elio, whose cheeks burned bright red yet again. The boy quickly realised that his thoughts had escaped his mind, and he had made himself look like a complete fool in front of Oliver.

“Oh God I did not mean that I am so sorry I’m just tired and I…” Elio began rambling again, trying desperately to make the situation better. Oliver’s affectionate chuckle shut him off.

“It’s fine. I shouldn’t be trying to subject you to listening to me talk about all this boring stuff, anyway.” Oliver gestured vaguely to the papers. Elio noticed that his face was filled with a look of stress and exhaustion.

“Why don’t you take a break? You literally just got home from work and you’re immediately working again? You need a break,” Elio insisted. He hated the thought that Oliver was over-working himself, noting that the man seemed to be doing work almost every time they spoke to each other.

“I have nothing else to do anyway. It’s not like I have any TV to catch up on or anything.” Oliver shrugged and mindlessly moved some books from one end of his desk to the other. Elio almost suggested that they go out and do something together sooner than they had originally planned, but he stopped himself.

“You must have friends you can go and spend time with. Catch up with someone you haven’t seen for ages or something?"

“Not really,” Oliver started, and Elio immediately began to question whether or not Oliver was the person he had made out to be. “I mean, obviously I have friends. It’s just some of them are professors, too, and this time of year is wild for everyone. Some of my other friends have kids now and my best friend moved away about a year ago.” Elio’s heart sunk. It occurred to him for the first time that Oliver was lonely, which is why he wanted Elio to stay on the phone whilst he worked and why he throws himself so wholeheartedly into his job in the first place.

“Can’t you go see your family?” Elio did not mean to pry, he was simply curious about the man and wanted to know everything he could.

“We haven’t even had our first date yet and you’re finding out all about my deep, dark secrets!” Oliver smiled again now, bright and welcoming. "Later," he added, as though this was a passing comment. For a moment, Elio wondered if this meant he intended to tell Elio about his life history at some point during this conversation. “What about you? Why don’t you spend your Christmas with all those distant relatives and amazing friends you have?”

“Well, New York is nice in the winter. I love the weather here believe it or not and that’s not something you get over in Italy,” Elio shrugged, thinking about this for the first time. “And I guess we see all of those distant family members in summer at the house. Everyone comes to visit at some point. Friends… well, I just text them while I’m away, you know? I only really have one best friend I’m overly concerned about keeping constant contact with and I am constantly messaging her.” Oliver nodded, considering Elio’s story. It seemed the boy had a far nicer and calmer history than Oliver had, and he was not sure he was ready to share that with him just yet. 

“How long do you stay for?” 

“Stay where?" 

“In New York,” Oliver said, as though that much should have been obvious from his initial question. But then something else occurred to him. “Why, where else do you stay?”

“Oh, well we’re in New York until about mid-January I think. And I thought you might have been asking about the summer house,” Elio spoke as though it was nothing, but Oliver looked shocked. “You don’t get to look shocked at the fact that my parents have a summer house when you appear to have an entire fucking library in your house!” Elio laughed, pointing towards the space behind Oliver, but really it just seemed he was vaguely gesturing towards his phone.

“Hey! I worked hard for this library!” Oliver defended himself and Elio raised an eyebrow questioningly. “OK my uncle worked hard for this library and then he died.”  The blasé nature with which Oliver spoke took Elio by surprise. “Don’t worry, I’d never even met the man. It’s just that I was the only person the right age to take on his property. Guess I got lucky.” This seemed an odd way to respond to a family member’s death, but Elio laughed through the awkwardness of it.

“Oh well, at least you got a library out it then I guess,” Elio shrugged and made himself busy looking elsewhere. The conversation seemed to have turned uncomfortable as Elio wondered how a person could care so little about someone dying.

“I’m not heartless,” Oliver caught Elio’s attention again, as though he knew what the boy was thinking. “Really, I’ve just never been close to any of my family. And this guy was someone whose name I had only ever even heard like… twice in my life. He was my dad’s brother and I stopped speaking to my dad when I was sixteen so I suppose I sort of just distanced myself from all things family.” Elio's eyes widened. Maybe Oliver's "later" really had meant he would be opening up throughout the conversation. The sudden openness had surprised Oliver, too, who now chuckled and turned back to his pieces of paper. "Anyway, you don't need to hear about that. The point is I do have a bomb-ass library but you have a separate house for a season."

Elio watched Oliver bury himself in his work again, as though immediately rebuilding a wall he had just destroyed. His work was flurried now and somewhat manic, and he spoke less than he had when they first called. Elio noticed the way that Oliver shook his head every now and then, as though attempting to banish the thoughts that entered his mind. He had grabbed a fountain pen from the desk and was practically scribbling on one of the pieces of work in front of him. Elio wondered for a moment if he had ever caused any of his professors this level of stress, but quickly decided that the only professor he cared about was Oliver.

It was hours before they finally hung up the phone to each other, and the sun had set a long time ago. Mostly, they sat in silence whilst Oliver graded papers and Elio worked on his latest composition, headphones turned down low enough to hear if Oliver needed him for anything. When Oliver finally could not take it any more and admitted to himself that he had to sleep, Elio made him promise he would get some dinner before crashing. As soon as they clicked end call, text messages with words they had not dared speak were finally sent.

 **Elio:** I'm really sorry about your uncle.

 **Oliver:** Don't be. I shouldn't have bought him up.

 **Elio:** You can bring anything up to me. I want to know all about you.

 **Oliver:** I'm afraid I just don't have any fairytale to offer and the story I do have to offer is barely worth listening to

 **Elio:** You are always worth listening to.

 **Oliver:** Bless you.

 **E** **lio:** Did you get dinner?

 **Oliver:** I did. I'm going to go to sleep now though. I have a big day tomorrow ;)

 **Elio:** Oh? You do? Why, is something happening?

 **Oliver:** Eh it's no biggie to be honest. Just meeting up with some guy.

 **Elio:** Hot date?

 **Oliver:** Oh yeah, definitely. 

 **Elio:** You better get plenty of beauty sleep then.

 **Oliver:** I think so too.

 **Elio:** I'll see you at 11.

 **Oliver:** See you at 11. Later.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I would like to thank my not-so-trustworthy friend google translate for its help in this chapter. ALSO!! sorry this took so long. I went on holiday for a week and did not take my laptop so i ended up just writing this on my phone in the middle of the night but having no way to upload it until now!!! Anywhoo our boys will finally get their date next chapter.
> 
> In other news I just got the book that's Super Exciting!
> 
> Thanks for all your support guys!


	4. Chapter 4

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> Elio and Oliver finally have their date! And did someone say kiss?

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I read the book while writing this chapter and just then proceeded to actually rewrite it multiple times. Hopefully what came out at the end is good. Also it just... accidentally turned out to be a lot longer than the other chapters... I'm probably not sorry.

Although Elio had been eagerly anticipating the day for what felt like weeks, the morning of his date with Oliver was terrifying. There was undeniable excitement mixed with a cocktail of anxiety and panic. All he had done was download an app - nothing else was supposed to happen. He was not supposed to have swiped right for anybody, to have matched with anybody, to have exchanged numbers with anybody. He was not supposed to have arranged a date with a 24-year-old American professor of archaeology incredibly out of his league. But here he was, standing in front of a full-length mirror, holding up one shirt in front of him, screwing his face up, grabbing a different shirt, screwing his face up again, and returning to the first shirt. His phone had been abandoned after it had provided the music for his shower and now sat behind him, the array of shirts burying the messages he was receiving. Hair still wet, goosebumps forming all over his body, he sighed loudly and lay down on the floor. What the hell were you supposed to wear on a first date?

 **Marzia:** Are you excited?

 **Marzia:** Don't act like you're not, of course you are!

 **Marzia:** Wait, are you up?

 **Marzia:** ELIO PERLMAN YOU CANNOT MISS YOUR DATE!

-

 **Oliver:** Good morning

He took a deep breath and told himself to get himself together. Five shirts down to one. This was not an impossible feat. He could perfect Beethoven and he could completely reinterpret Bach and he could perform pieces way beyond his years even as a child. The boy who could earn scholarship offers from top music schools all over the world (including Juilliard) could not, apparently, choose a shirt. It was frustrating and needlessly painful, Elio thought, that he could not have bought only one shirt away with him this year. That did raise the question of which shirt he would have bought, given that each had their advantages and that was probably the reason they were all in New York, strewn across the bed in the first place.

 **Elio:** I've been up for like 2 hours Marzia chill out

 **Marzia:** You're the one who wasn't replying!

 **Elio:** I've been trying to get ready

 **Marzia:** What are you going to wear?

 **Elio:** the problem is that I don't have the slightest clue

 **Elio:** so now I'm just laying on the floor half naked failing to put on a shirt

 **Marzia:** The red one with the dots on that if you look close enough are actually diamonds. Put that one on.

 **Elio:** Huh. I should have text you back hours ago.

 **Marzia:** Yeah, you should have.

Once he put it on it seemed to make perfect sense that this would be the shirt to wear. The colours were perfect for Christmas and did not make the entire outfit seem too dark given that he was wearing black chinos. His shoes, he decided, would be his tan ones, matching the belt that he would wear. By the time he had composed the outfit and manoeuvred his hair into a stylishly messy look, he gave himself a nod in the mirror. The scarf he draped around his neck casually, as though it were more an accessory than an attempt to gain warmth, was knitted and black. The coat that reached his mid-thigh was tan, again, to compliment the shoes. He let out a breathy laugh to himself - why had I ever thought I was straight? He checked the time on his phone and noted that he had three-quarters of an hour before he had to be at the coffee shop, which translated to roughly twenty minutes before he had to leave.

 **Elio:** Good morning!

 **Oliver:** I was starting to worry you weren't awake!

 **Elio:** Haha sorry, I've been getting ready

 **Oliver:** For that long?

 **Elio:** It took me a few hours just to get all of the layers on

 **Oliver:** Ah, of course! I'll keep an eye out for the snowman in Starbucks.

Elio tried not to literally run down the stairs when he realised that he had been texting backwards and forwards with Oliver for nearly twenty-five minutes. His parents gave him a concerned look and asked why he had not come down for breakfast, be he told them that he woke up late and had somewhere to be. He grabbed a banana from the side when his mother shot him a glance which clearly said _"You need to be eating, figlio"_. Outside, he handed the banana to a homeless man and started heading in the same direction as he had days earlier with his parents. It had been snowing again and, as he looked up to the sky, Elio predicted that it would do so at some point throughout the day, too. Checking his phone again briefly to check if he would be on time, he saw that Oliver had texted him and told him he was waiting. The walk, which he now attempted to conquer quicker than he had been, gave Elio a chance to question what he was doing. Never before had he actually dated another guy. He fucked guys on nights out and slipped away before the sun rose. He did not date them. He had specifically only searched for men because he was not interested in anything serious. With girls, he almost always fell. They somehow allowed him to be someone he could never truly be around guys - someone strong and confident, independent but caring. He almost always felt insecure around other guys, spending hours comparing himself to them. Which is why it was always easier to spend as little time around them as possible. But now he was going on a date with one. What did that mean?

The sign for Starbucks was getting closer to him by the second. He put his hands in his pockets and walked with as much conviction as he could muster, remembering that he was not a nervous person and this was no reason to suddenly become one. Standing outside the shop next door, he quickly thumbed a text to Marzia to let her know he was about to go in. He wanted to feel as though he at least had a friend going through it with him. He tried to convince himself that he was excited rather than nervous, and took the last few steps that bought him to reach the door. The place was busy with people seeking refuge from the cold or an early lunch before they carried on with their day. The queue to order was so long that Elio had ended up in it just from walking through the door, but he quickly stepped to the side and looked around for Oliver. They had not exchanged any details about outfits, which Elio now thought was a stupid idea because all he could think he was looking for was "tall, blonde and handsome" and he was not sure that would really help him find Oliver. Just as he reached for his phone to send a text message and ask where he was, Elio spotted the man sat at a table at the far end of the shop. He quickly headed over, eager to rid the feeling of being stood in everybody's way.

"Oliver?" It was a question but he was not sure why. He was certain he had the right man.

"Eelio!" Oliver mispronounced his name and Elio stifled a giggle successfully, instead smiling politely and accepting the brief hug that he was pulled into.

"It's freezing out there," he declared, as he set his coat and scarf on the back of the chair before sitting down. They would inevitably have to get up to buy something, but Elio needed the stability that sitting down offered even if just for a few moments. Oliver took his seat too and glanced over at the menu on the wall before responding.

"You're not very good at dealing with New York winters for someone who comes every Christmas."

"Well, I don't spend every Christmas going on dates, so I usually get to enjoy the company of many blankets." He laughed slightly as he spoke, breaking the eye contact that they held for only a second. It had caused Elio's entire body to warm up and he was sure that, had he not already been so cold, his cheeks would have flushed. Oliver nodded his head as if to say "Yeah, OK, I can't argue with that" and took a look at the long line of people waiting to be served.

"Let's head somewhere else. Somewhere quieter." Oliver was standing up and putting on his coat before Elio could complain that he had barely had a chance to warm up. He followed the other man, grabbing his coat and struggling to get it on before they got out of the door. The road was busy and filled with people who seemed to know exactly where they were going. Elio felt lost. Then he felt a hand grab his.

"C'mon. If we go this way there's this really quiet coffee shop." Oliver was leading him as though the fact that they were holding hands was nothing. Once Elio had caught up, he anticipated that Oliver would drop his hand, but instead, he simply repositioned them so that their fingers were entwined. Elio looked down at their hands together and wondered why the simple act made his heart thump and his mind race. His eyes darted between his own feet, trying to make sure he did not trip, and his hand in Oliver's. Their hands were contrasts in every manner. Oliver's was tanned where Elio's was a pale white. Oliver's was rough and had clear indentations where he held a pen, but Elio's was smooth and soft. Before Elio could process it, Oliver had turned a corner and they were now heading down a narrow alley, one that Elio would have felt terrified in were in not the middle of the day.

"Here it is!" Elio had barely noticed that there was even a building there, let alone a coffee shop. It was almost empty save for one older couple on a table by the door and a teenage boy listening to his headphones and reading a book a few tables down from the couple. Oliver lead the way and it was not until the door closed behind them that their hands separated. "Go sit down, I'll bring us drinks." Elio asked for a hot chocolate and went to sit at a table far away from the doors. He repeated his actions in Starbucks, stripping his coat and scarf and taking a seat. He watched as Oliver lent on the counter and looked at the menu on the wall, as though debating what he should have. He handed over the money and came to sit on the table opposite Elio, also removing his coat yet again.

"I love this place. I come here all the time when I need to think or just want to have a conversation," Oliver revealed, and Elio suddenly felt privileged to be sat at the table. To be sat with Oliver, in Oliver's quiet place. He wondered if Oliver considered that he was letting Elio in, or was he not so protective over the place, but more wanting to share it with as many people as possible so that others could experience the happiness he felt when he came here? Elio was grateful nevertheless. He offered Oliver the money for their drinks, but Oliver shook his head. "I insist. Although, you do have a summer house and come to New York every Christmas so maybe you should be paying." Elio laughed at that and wrapped his hands around the steaming mug, remembering the feeling of holding Oliver's hand.

"Well, my parents have a summer house and buy the tickets here so I guess maybe they should be paying." They laughed together and Elio felt Oliver's eyes fall on him, but when he looked up to meet them, Oliver quickly averted his gaze. The space between them fell silent until Oliver finally cleared his throat and spoke.

"So, tell me something about yourself, Eelio." Elio smirked.

"Firstly, I guess I should tell you it's pronounced Elio." Oliver was clearly embarrassed, but the flush of red was only light on his tanned cheeks. His jaw slackened and he looked at Elio in utter shock. Elio was smirking, making a mental note to count this as Elio 1 - 0 Oliver. Although, with the way that Oliver's lips sat apart from each other, his teeth just on show and his tongue resting almost on his bottom lip, he almost got so lost he could have awarded a point to Oliver.

"Elio." The correct pronunciation rolled out of Oliver's mouth as though he was the only person who was ever supposed to say it.

"Ulliva," Elio emphasised the Italian accent that was almost constantly cloaked by a non-specific American. He thought that this would be how his mother would pronounce the name, or how almost all of his friends would say it. How he would introduce him to them.

"I like it," Oliver was smiling, apparently the previous embarrassment had vanished now, and he was leaning on the table, looking at Elio confidently. Elio stayed slouched back with his hands wrapped around his drink, not noticing the way that Oliver's eyes scanned his face over, lingering on his cheekbones and on his lips.

They spent their time in the coffee shop exchanging pleasant conversation. They laughed frequently and every now and then Oliver would lean forward and grab Elio's hand whilst telling a story, as though to emphasise a point or encourage a reaction. Oliver asked about Italy and Elio spoke about how much he loved the country a lot of the time. He mentioned having some hopes to travel for college, but not being sure where to go, which spurred a conversation about Elio's decision not to head straight to college from high school and to, instead, attempt to gain some sort of reputation in the music industry through family friends and the internet. Oliver dropped hints that they would be able to date if Elio attended the college he worked at, as long as he did not decide to study archaeology. Elio did not pick up on any of them. The awkwardness that had existed before them at Starbucks now evaporated, as another drink was bought to them without them ordering it and the other couple left, hand in hand. They ordered something to eat, Elio's stomach rumbling to interrupt their conversation and remind him that he had skipped breakfast foolishly. By the time either of them checked the clock on the wall, they realised that it was two o'clock and that they should start heading to Bryant Park.

Once they stood outside the coffee shop, feeling that the temperature was somehow more severe than it had been before, Oliver held out his hand for Elio. Their fingers were linked together and Elio's hand ended up inside Oliver's coat pocket. The walk doubled up as a tour, with Oliver pointing out some spots that Elio should definitely visit sometime and warning him away from others. Oliver made a dramatic point to mention every spot of ice they passed, telling Elio to be careful not to break his other wrist, which caused Elio to nudge Oliver playfully. There were people all around them, some giving them questioning looks, but Oliver would always gently squeeze Elio's hand or pull him slightly closer to show him that they should not care. Everything was different for Elio. There were huge billboards everywhere he looked, nobody smiled politely just to say hi, and everybody was pushing by, nudging almost aggressively. He had never really explored the city before and, were he alone, he would probably be terrified.

"You grow to love it." Oliver's breath was warm on his cheek, a shocking contrast to the cool air.

"I'm not here long enough to grow to love it," he quipped back. It was partly an attempt to keep up the witty persona he had thus far been able to present to Oliver, but also to remind himself of the fact. To remind himself that falling for an American less than a month before he was going back to Italy was not something he could handle. He chose to ignore shiver that ran down his spine when Oliver's thumb gently caressed his hand.

”Look at this,” Oliver spoke excitedly, changing the topic of the conversation and dragging Elio over to the very first stand. He had barely even noticed they had arrived. “You have to try these.” They immediately joined the queue and Elio noticed that the stand was called “No Chewing Allowed”. He stifled a giggle.

“It’s truffles.”

”That you’re now allowed to chew?”

”It’s a lot better when you don’t chew, trust me.”

Oliver bought a pack of assorted truffles for them and insisted they find a quiet corner to stop and eat them. Elio watched as Oliver gently placed the truffle on his tongue and closed his eyes. He held it in his mouth for some time, his head falling back and a smile breaking out on his face. Seemingly without thinking he let out a groan and Elio’s heart rate reached new speeds. When Oliver came back to him, he insisted “c’mon you have to try it it’s amazing.” Trying to compose himself, Elio copied Oliver's actions.

"Wow, OK, yeah, that's good," he admitted. Oliver was smirking proudly and leading them away again. As they walked through the market, Elio thought of little other than Oliver. The way the corners of his lips had curled upwards as he held the truffle in his mouth, or the way his eyes had fluttered shut or, good lord, the way he had moaned. The way Oliver held his hand softly most of the time but then, when Elio seemed to get uncertain about his surroundings or uncomfortable with the people, he held his hand in a grip that said I've got you. They walked around mindlessly, Oliver pointing out some of his favourite stalls every now and then but nothing got a reaction quite like No Chewing Allowed had.

The day passed too quickly. The time of the year meant that the sun was set by 5 pm and Elio remembered suddenly that his parents had no idea where he was. He quickly grabbed his phone from his pocket and, ignoring all of the prying messages from Marzia, thumbed a text to his dad.

 **Elio:** Sorry I've not been back yet. Made a friend. Exploring the city with a local. Not sure what time I'll be back.

The reply was almost immediate.

 **Dad:** Don't be back too late but have fun.

 **Elio:** Would it be OK if you made some extra dinner for when I get in?

 **Dad:** Of course. Would your friend like some?

 **Elio:** I doubt it. Thanks.

"Everything alright?" Oliver gave Elio a concerned look.

"Yeah, just had to let my parents know I wouldn't be back." A cringe. "Wow, that sounds so childish. We're in a different country and my mum worries sometimes and I just wanted to let them know that no New Yorkers had kidnapped me or anything." Oliver shrugged.

"Not yet." He offered no more insight into that comment but began walking away, leaving Elio to have to run to catch up with him again. He playfully grabbed Oliver's arm and gave him an upset look. Oliver grinned and let Elio keep hold of his arm, walking them over to the ice rink.

"Stay off the ice, Bambi. I just thought we could watch." Elio gave Oliver a look of mock-offence but silently admitted to himself that he liked Oliver's tendency to give him nicknames. His brain was blank for a comeback, so he stubbornly crossed his arms - a difficult feat given that one of them was in a cast - and purposefully looked directly onwards so as to ignore the other man. Out of the corner of his eye, he could see that Oliver was laughing to himself whilst glancing at Elio, but then clearly deciding that he could also play Elio's game and taking a step to the side, straightening his face and watching the ice skaters. The gap between them was filled by a woman holding a little boy and Elio casually stepped around her to stand close to Oliver's side. Neither of them said anything, but Elio stood with his head rested on Oliver's shoulder, watching the people in front of them skate round and round in circles. There were some who were in large groups, clearly friends, teasing each other and racing silently. Others were families with children clutching to parents hands, hats far too big and periodically falling over their eyes. The odd person seemed to be alone, in their own little world, simply enjoying the peace of the blade on the ice. It was these people who made Elio thankful he had broken his wrist because (and he would only admit this to himself) he would, indeed, have looked like Bambi if he tried to ice skate.

"Are you hungry? I think mom will probably have some food left over from dinner. Or we could go get something at a restaurant or whatever. I don't know where's good though and I probably didn't bring as much money as I should have out with me." It was normal for Elio's family, when in Italy, to welcome anyone and everyone to dine with them. There was almost always excess food after dinner when it was just the three of them, and his father loved speaking to all manner of people who visited their summer house. It always took Elio a while to get out of the habit of inviting people for dinner sooner than would probably be normal.

"I mean, I've already met your parents so it can't be that awkward for me to walk into their house with their son on my arm and ask for their food, right?"

"Exactly. They'll love you."

The walk back to the house passed almost without Elio noticing. The streets were at their busiest now and Elio tried not to grip Oliver's hand too tightly in an attempt to remain free from the crowds. Once they arrived at the Starbucks they had started at, Oliver told Elio he would have to take the reins, and he did so as confidently as he could. When they reached the house, Elio noticed that there were lights on in the house to suggest that his parents were still up, but he could have expected no less given the still relatively early hour of the evening. Oliver took a step back and dropped Elio's hand, following behind him closely enough to show Elio's parents that he had been invited and was not simply a creepy stranger.

"Elio!" His mother got up from the couch as soon as she heard the door behind them close. She was smiling broadly and brought Elio into a hug before acknowledging Oliver. "And you must be his new friend." She held out her hand to him and Oliver was clearly uncertain about how he was supposed to describe his relationship with her son, so he simply agreed and shook her hand, telling her his name. "Ulliva!" Oliver could not help the small giggle that escaped his lips at the sound of his name exactly the way Elio had warned him. Immediately, Elio's father was greeting him too.

"You look familiar," Samuel pondered, squinting up at Oliver and trying to discern what his brain was trying to tell him.

"He helped me out when I fell," Elio offered. Samuel made an "o" shape with his mouth and pointed his index finger at Oliver to show recognition. He offered his thanks for his support and seemed to assume that this was how the pair met since the matter was not bought up for the rest of the night. What was bought up, however, was how much Elio must start eating properly, and how happy they were to see him out socialising. They did not say it, but Elio sensed the hidden meaning of "surprised" when they said "happy".

Elio and Oliver ate the food quickly, which involved Oliver repeating some of the ungodly sounds he had produced with the chocolate truffles. “This is so good,” he exclaimed after the first mouthful. Elio muttered his agreements, recognising his mother’s secret recipe - the only one she did not get from Mafalda. By the time they finished eating and cleared away their plates, Elio’s parents had said goodbye and headed out for the night.

“Now? It’s a bit late,” Elio questioned when his father poked his head into the kitchen to deliver the news. Samuel reassured him that it was simply a gathering of people from the field and it was not set to start until 8:30 and headed off to get changed.

“I’ve had a really nice day today,” Elio admitted when silence fell between them after his parents’ departure. They had migrated to the living room and were sat where his parents would usually be, awkwardly facing forward and unsure how much space to leave between them.

“Me too, Elio.”

“Should we watch a movie?”

“That sounds good.”

They did not have to search for one that they both wanted to watch for long and, once it was playing, Elio decided to take the risk and lay his head on Oliver’s shoulder. Oliver immediately relaxed and swung his arm around Elio, leaning back so that the boy’s head rested on his chest. Elio had his feet tucked underneath him and one of his hands found a home on Oliver’s stomach. The movie played but he was not paying attention, too caught up in listening to the beat of Oliver’s heart and feeling the rise and fall of his chest. Feeling the way Oliver’s fingers gently tickled his upper arm, straying eventually to find his hair. They sat for a lot of the movie with hands silently exploring each other and testing their boundaries. Elio wondered if they should have discussed said boundaries before their date, but he was thankful they had not.

“Do you want a drink?” Elio did not want to end the moment, but he did want a glass of wine. And he was totally not considering what might happen if the pair of them were a little bit less nervous thanks to the alcohol. Oliver agreed and Elio fetched them too relatively large glasses of red wine. They both sipped at their drinks, Elio almost reaching the bottom and deciding to refill before getting comfortable again.

“You’re not even legal to drink, are you?” Oliver blurted out minutes later when they are once again laying with each other, hands already exploring more easily with the excuse of wine. It caused Elio to laugh.

“Not in America, maybe.” Oliver seemed satisfied by the answer and continued to watch the movie, although his eyes frequently darted between the screen and the boy with his head on his chest. They seemed to fit together so easily, so comfortably. Until Elio stood again without warning, drained his glass and visited the kitchen to return with a half-empty bottle of wine.

“I got bored of having to keep refilling my glass,” he shrugged, sipping directly from the bottle now before offering it over to Oliver, who gestured to show that he still had some left in his glass. Elio felt as though his entire body was getting heavier and his head was spinning. Alcohol always affected him, especially large amounts of red wine consumed within a small period of time. Oliver, who had been sensible enough to take it slowly, giggled and wrapped his arm back around Elio, who fell into him now. He was struggling to sip from the bottle whilst not sitting up straight but persevered anyway until Oliver plucked it from his hands.

"Look, I'm not letting you get drunk all on your own tonight," he said, when Elio gave him a look which suggested he had offended him in the most severe way. There was barely anything left in the bottle but Oliver drank what was there too quickly. Before long, the pair had raided Elio's parents' liquor collection. Sharing beer now rather than wine - after the mutual decision that beer is much better for you - they sat together quietly for a little while before Oliver began to laugh.

"I have to get home. I have shit to do, oh my god, I should not be sat in your house getting drunk with you." The way he laughed through all of it made it seem that he did not mean he was about to leave, simply that he was acknowledging that he should. Elio, spurred on by the confidence of the alcohol and heat he had been feeling all day, shuffled closer to Oliver and put his hand on the man's thigh. He bought his lips to Oliver's cheek and pressed gently.

"Don't go, I have so much more planned," Elio whispered into his ear. Oliver barely hesitated before turning and kissing him. Their bottles were disregarded on the floor - thankfully empty - and Oliver pulled Elio as close to him as possible. His hands were tangled in his dark curls, his body was leaning forwards, pressing Elio back onto the sofa. Elio wrapped his legs around Oliver's waist and grabbed fistfuls of his shirt. The kiss was not soft and loving like Elio had anticipated kissing Oliver would be, but it was full of want and desire and desperation. It was as though the entire day had been pulling them further and further apart from each other and now wine had let them fly back towards each other with unprecedented force. It was perfect.

And then Oliver was pushing himself up, fighting against the hands on his shirt and against his own will. He hovered above Elio for a moment, who still lay with his eyes shut and his lips parted, waiting. Oliver shook his head and stood up. He corrected his clothes and tidied up his hair and tried not to stumble over the bottles now beneath his feet. Elio's heart sunk.

"I have to go." Oliver seemed to be avoiding looking anywhere near Elio at all costs but was instead searching for his coat. Elio's stomach turned over and over, the unpleasant combination of wine and beer, mixed with absolute confusion, all seemed to result in a complete feeling of nausea. Oliver walked out before Elio could find the strength to sit up. He almost passed out on the sofa but remembered that his parents would be home soon and forced himself to get up and tidy. The movie had finished long ago and he shut off the television. The empty bottles were stood on the kitchen counter, his brain unable to comprehend where they should actually go. He dragged himself up the stairs and decided it better to head straight to the bathroom rather than his bedroom, although he knew deep down he was not going to throw up. He had drunk far more and been far drunker and not thrown up in the past, but in the past he had never also had his heart broken in the same night.

Laying with his head on the toilet seat, he chastised himself for thinking that alcohol was a good idea. He wanted to kiss Oliver when he was sober, and he should have just plucked up the courage to do so. Maybe if they were sober, Oliver would have said no straight away and the sting would not be quite so sore. He tried to remember the feeling of Oliver's lips, but his entire body was fuzzy and he could barely remember the tug on his hair. He wanted to scream. He wanted to sleep. He wanted, more than anything else in the world, to know what was going on.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Just a heads up that y'all are totally welcome to come and talk to me about this pair (or anything else tbh) over on [my tumblr](https://aarmiehammer.tumblr.com/) !!!


	5. Chapter 5

**Marzia:** Well??? How was it?!?

 **Elio:** fine I guess

 **Marzia:** You guess?

Truthfully, Elio had woken the next morning with the worst headache of his life and knew that it was not one hundred percent hangover. He had slept easily, but his body was sluggish and exhausted enough to tell him that he had not slept well. His hair was a mess and he tried not to think about the influence that Oliver’s hands may have had on that. Nothing made sense. Why had Oliver seemed to have enjoyed the entire day, seemed to have encouraged Elio’s flirtation, and kissed him, only to run away? Elio closed the messages from Marzia and opened his conversation with Oliver, fingers hovering over the keys. There was so much temptation to ask what was going on, what was wrong, what he was supposed to do now. 

 **Elio:** he kissed me and then literally ran away, so I guess

 **Marzia:** He what?! Why would he do that?!

 **Elio:** I’m wondering the same thing. We were pretty tipsy though so who knows

 **Marzia:** Alcohol has a lot to answer for

Texting Oliver would be so easy. A few words to ask how he is feeling. He could even act like he could not remember what happened. Like, as far as Elio is aware, all they did was cuddle up and watch a movie. That would never work. He had been pretty out of it, but Oliver had sobered him up quickly and the same had probably happened for Oliver. Or was that the problem? Was he really not at all interested in Elio and when the wine’s effect was removed from the situation he realised how much of a mistake he was making? Elio flung himself down onto the bed, hitting his fist against the mattress in frustration.

With time and a little more sleep Elio felt well enough to venture down the stairs, where he was greeted by his parents preparing breakfast. He had woken far earlier than he had expected, apparently. Samuel and Annella greeted him warmly and asked if he had a pleasant evening, not mentioning the collection of bottles that Elio knew they must have seen when they arrived home. He told them all about Bryant Park and the No Chewing Allowed truffles, purposefully leaving out any details of his company until his father asked the question.

“And how was Oliver?”

This seemed like an odd way to phrase it. How was Oliver? He was supposedly happy for most of the day, but Elio could not be sure. Or was the question more intended to decipher how Elio had found Oliver? Was he now supposed to admit that he had completely out of control feelings for the man after a few text messages, one date, and a kiss with a less than satisfactory ending?

“Oliver was fine,” Elio shrugged, and reached over to pick up the carafe of juice and pour some into the glass already set on the table for him. Hopefully the topic would be dropped if he induced breakfast rather than indulged the conversation. Unfortunately, moving away from the topic of Oliver meant moving onto a topic somehow worse.

“Maybe you should go out again today and meet some new people,” his mother suggested, but his father said nothing. Elio took a bite of the food that had now been placed in front of him and glared at her with all of his might. It was bad enough she constantly suggested he meet new people whilst in Italy, but to do the same whilst they were on holiday seemed pointless. Especially after meeting Oliver.

“What is the use in me making American friends? It’s not like I live here,” Elio argued back. He was unreasonably angry, but the question had surfaced feelings and thoughts which he had wished would remain buried for a little longer.

“Well, you may live here in the future. For college, maybe.” Oliver’s college. Annella had not raised her voice to match her son’s volume but continued to speak calmly and with reason. Truly, she wanted only what she deemed to be best for him. Elio, however, could never understand his parents and their constant insistence that he hang out with more people. He had friends, and they knew this, but the fact that he spent so much of his time with his head in a book seemed to upset his parents. They were, of course, always proud of his achievements, but they wished constantly that he was more social. He rolled his eyes and a silence fell over the table. It occurred to him that the glances his parents were sharing now were not ones that expressed a sadness for their son's loneliness as he had expected, but ones that said "you tell him" and "no, you tell him" over and over again. His father took a deep breath.

"Elio, we need to talk to you about something." He was facing Elio but his eyes did not seem to know whether they were talking to his son, his wife or the kitchen table. "We know that you enjoy spending the Christmas here and-" His father began rambling. Elio paid attention so that he heard when what he apparently would not want to hear was said. It took a few more sentences and a couple of deep breaths before Samuel finally said "so we're going to head back to Italy early."

"How early?"

"We are planning to leave next week."

Next week left Elio with no time to fix what he seemed to have broken in New York, but he wondered if he would have been able to do that with all the time in the world anyway. He wanted more time with Oliver, even if he would never see him again now, more time would give him more chance. But he was being selfish. He grabbed his phone and, although he was planning to text Marzia and ask if she had heard the news, he saw that he had received a new message.

 **Oliver:**  Come outside?

It had only just been delivered and the thought that he should keep Oliver waiting was only in his brain for under a second before every inch of need within him took over. He needed to see him, and to talk to him, and to get away from his parents and the sadness that now consumed the house. He needed to go outside. He found Oliver sat in a car and Elio was immediately reminded of his tinder profile - the picture that had drawn him in in the first place had been one of Oliver smiling in the driver's seat of a car. He hesitated for only a moment before getting in.

"I thought we could go for a drive." The engine had started and they were moving before Elio was given the opportunity to do anything. He wanted to yell, to tell him to pull the car over, he did not want to go for a drive, did not want to be anywhere near him. He wanted to insist on being returned home. Or, at the very least, insist on an immediate explanation which he could tear to shreds and throw directly back in Oliver's face. He wanted an apology to reject. But he said nothing. He fastened his seatbelt and, much as he did not want to, watched Oliver drive. Watched the way the man concentrated on the road, the way his jaw clenched every now and then, the ease with which everything happened. Why could he seem so perfect even in the current light with which Elio was seeing the world?

They were driving for almost an hour before anything happened. The time allowed Elio's mind to drift away from the man in the driver's seat and there was even a point at which he was surprised when the car came to a stop at a red light, having completely forgotten that anybody outside of his head existed at all. Eventually, Oliver parked the car in an almost empty parking lot and, with a sigh, turned off the engine and looked over to the passenger seat. Elio was purposefully looking anywhere but at Oliver now.

"Can we talk?" Elio scoffed.

"Don't you think you should have asked me that before you drove an hour out of the way to some fucking abandoned parking lot?" He was not so angry about what Oliver had done that morning, but mostly angry about Oliver thinking he had the right to do it after what he had done the previous night. He was angry at the world, too, but the world was not something he could yell at, and so he made Oliver into his world. Elio did not care what he was saying or what he was shouting about, he just needed to let Oliver know that he was angry and that he had a hurricane of feelings coursing through his body. 

"I need you to let me explain." Oliver was acting as though Elio's feelings were nothing more than an inconvenience to the story he had expertly prepared to deliver, it seemed. Elio rolled his eyes dramatically and continued to look away, glaring at the innocent bird in a nearby tree. "I didn't mean for that to happen, you know? I mean, I didn't want to kiss you." Elio shot his head round, and gave a piercing look to Oliver now, about to start yelling before Oliver caught himself. "Not that I didn't want to kiss you! I didn't want to get  _drunk_ and kiss you. I wanted to kiss you, obviously. I just... you were out of it and I was getting there and suddenly it was all a mess and I felt like," he let out a deep breath and paused. His voice softened when he said "I felt like maybe I was taking advantage of you." Elio cocked his head now, confused. His feelings fell away for a second as he processed what Oliver was saying.

"You could never take advantage of me," Elio told him, but then considered it for a second and added "even if you were I would let you."  _I would do anything for you, and that's terrifying!_

Oliver was looking at Elio as though the boy was the most interesting thing in the universe, as though he held complexities within him that the most intelligent people on Earth could barely begin to understand. Oliver did not want to understand; he wanted to admire. Elio looked back at him and felt self-conscious under his gaze. Unsure what to do, but incredibly aware of what he needed, Elio leant over to kiss Oliver.

This was how he had imagined their first kiss. Soft and hesitant, but needy all the same. Hands gently caressing cheeks, bodies yearning to be closer but unsure of where there were boundaries. Everything was perfect and Elio's mind was consumed by nothing but happiness and gratefulness to be with the other man. Until Oliver was pulling away.

"I need to be good." He shook his head and was moving to start the car again. Elio wanted to jump on him, beg him to let down whatever barriers he was putting up right now. He wanted to be close to Oliver, to be held, to have his lips on his again. But he simply looked out of the window and waited for the car to start. There was silence amongst them again, but somehow this time it felt more final. They had said what they needed to say, done what they needed to do, and now it seemed that this would be the end of it. Too many things were coming to an end. Elio had tears in his eyes and turned his head as far towards the window as he could to hide this from Oliver, although he seemed entirely concentrated on the road now that the rain was pouring down.

"I'm leaving next week," Elio announced, a bitter thought telling him that Oliver should be happy about that. Oliver neither confirmed nor denied this, but kept his eyes firmly fixed on the road, although anybody paying enough attention would have noticed the way his hands gripped the steering wheel tighter and he closed his eyes for a second as if needing to remind himself not to get overwhelmed. Elio was not looking.

"I thought you were here until January. Is everything OK?" The question seemed somewhat like an afterthought and Elio was in two minds about whether or not to be truthful. He was not sure the man truly cared at all or why he should care, so he wanted to yell at him to stop acting like it mattered at all what he was feeling. But then he was overwhelmed with the fact that he had not spoken to anybody about it. When the news had been revealed, there was no long discussion about what that meant or how he was supposed to feel now - there was the general acceptance that it was upsetting and somehow the expectation to deal with it. So, no, everything was not OK.

"Like you care." He tried to make sure his voice was not breaking when he said it, but failed. Oliver did not offer any comment to suggest that Elio was wrong to assume he did not care, but parked the car again ten minutes later. Elio knew they could not have arrived back at the house yet and quickly rubbed his eyes before looking around.

"I care, Elio. I don't have a clue where we are, I haven't been paying any attention to where we've been going. But I care about you, OK? How could you even doubt that?" Elio had failed to realise how much he could have been hurting Oliver, but now he stopped hiding the tears from him. 

"Why does everything have to end?" Oliver furrowed his eyebrows in confusion. Elio shook his head and looked down at his hands as he built up the courage to explain what was running through his mind. "There's this little girl who lives next door to our summer house in Italy. Vimini. She's about ten but she always wants to hang out with me whenever we're there and I guess we're pretty close - she's like the little sister I've never had, y'know? Anyway, she's ill. Really ill. Pretty much always has been. But it's worse now and the doctors have said they doubt she will make it to the new year. My parents are good people. They want as many people who love her to be around her. Of course, I want to be around her too, I just don't know how to be I guess." He shrugged and tugged at the sleeves of his jumper. He held no expectations of Oliver - no idea that he would be his rock in this moment, or comfort him, or really do anything other than accept that Elio was not going to be OK and drive him home. 

"If you need anything, you should know I'm always here, even if it's at the other end of a phone." Elio wondered what kind of person Oliver would be in the middle of the night when he could not sleep, or when he had woken from a nightmare and needed to be held until he stopped shaking. There was so much that neither of them knew about each other and it seemed bizarre that so soon into their would-be relationship they were being tested so hard. 

"You don't have to be at the end of the phone." Elio knew what he wanted but he was uncertain Oliver would agree and also uncertain it would be a good idea at all. He proposed it anyway. "You could come to Italy with us. If you wanted." He tried his best to put on a nonchalant tone and act as though Oliver declining the offer would not hurt him. 

"I, I couldn't, Elio," Oliver was faltering. "I mean, technically I could. Work will be pretty much dead by then and honestly I could bring any work I needed to do with me, but I'm not sure I would be welcome, really." It took twenty minutes of conversation and a few more tears before Oliver was convinced that he would not be intruding and that he would, instead, be a welcome distraction for Elio from the rest of the world that seemed to be crumbling around him. Once the decision was made, Elio fell into Oliver's side and let his entire body relax. Almost instinctually, Oliver's hand came up to cup Elio's cheek and within seconds they were kissing again.

-

When Oliver parked his car to let Elio back into the house there was an awkward moment of uncertainty. Neither of them were sure what to do but Elio announced that he thought it best if Oliver waited outside in the car whilst he spoke to his parents. The conversation would have to be built up to, and he was not certain that would be entirely possible with Oliver stood around. When he entered the house, he found his father reading a book and his mother scrolling through her phone, clearly searching for something in particular. They greeted him when he sat with them and, as always, could immediately tell he had something on his mind. 

"Have you had a good time?" His mother asked, not having been informed of where he disappeared to. 

"Yeah I, erm, I actually just went for a drive with Oliver. You remember Oliver, right? From the other day?" He knew they would remember him, but thought that this was his best method of getting the conversation where he wanted it to be going.

"Hmm... Tall? Handsome? American? Rings some bells," his father joked, flashing a smile. Elio nodded and continued.

"Yeah well, we just went for a drive. I think I sort of just needed some time to think about everything that is going on, you know? And, anyway, we got talking, me and him, about how I would be going back to Italy so much sooner than anticipated-" Elio was fiddling with his sleeves. His parents would have known from a mile away that Elio had feelings for Oliver, so he knew he did not have to say it, which he was thankful for. "-and he said that he was actually considering visiting Italy! He thought it would give him a nice break and some time to focus on his work a little bit - he's a professor of archaeology and has been kind of overwhelmed lately. So I was thinking maybe it would be nice if he came back with us?" He tried to appeal to everybody's soft side - Oliver made him happy (something that would satisfy his mother) and he was a professor of archaeology (to satisfy his father). They looked between each other and then his father shrugged.

"I see no reason why not. He would have to stay in your room though, and you in the spare room." Elio was already nodding furiously, not caring what the conditions of the agreement were.

"He's actually waiting outside, I'll just run out and let him know." He got from his chair and was about to head out of the front door before his mother shouted him back.

"Elio, dear! Why don't you see if he wants to come in for some lunch with us?"

His world that, just hours ago, was falling to pieces, finally seemed to be coming back together again with Oliver by his side.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I do like writing angst but I also like these pair to be Happy Bois ok so here we go. 
> 
> Friendly reminder you can find me [on tumblr](https://aarmiehammer.tumblr.com/) :)


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